Good haircare is hard to come by. Under Luna, founded by Carly Castillo, is currently my haircare lines on the market. This line is handmade, using real ingredients from nature. In ancient times, all beauty and body care was made like this. Whatever nuts, seeds, berries, fruits or flowers were around became the staple ingredients. Carly takes this past time into account in marking her products, by honoring the history and use of these plants.

She also realized that many of the “natural” products on the market are not so clean and healthy. She took matters into her own hands and began formulating for herself. Now she knows exactly what is in her products and can honor her commitment to nourish her customers and be 100% transparent with them.

Carly Castillo, Founder of Under Luna

Q: What is the name of your brand and how did you come up with it?

A: Under Luna is the brand, which means under the moon. The name itself is all about going back to the beginning. I stripped these hair products down to their original uses and needs. The ingredients were influenced by our ancestors. All the herbs, roots, oils were chosen according to their original uses by Native Americans, Greeks, and Chinese ancestors. This was a time when we used to live our lives more according to the calendar and the moon. It is amazing what they discovered and cultivated at that time. Because of our ancestor's rituals and use of the herbs, I was able to use those instructions and formulate the products I’m selling today as Under Luna.

Q: What inspired you to start your own line?

A: I started researching the ingredients used in the “natural” products I had been buying for so long and quickly realized how unnatural many of these ingredients were. I was sick of having to double check these companies work to see if it, was in fact, natural and also wasn’t happy with the products results so I decided it was time to formulate my own. I stripped the products down to the basics, back to the very beginning why/how/what shampoo + conditioner was supposed to do for your hair and started building the products from scratch with 100% natural ingredients to what they are now.

Q: What does natural mean to you?

A: It’s from the earth. All my ingredients come from either fruit, vegetables, plants or trees. That’s it.

Q: What are your core values?

A: Sticking to the truth. Honesty is everything to me. I am so disappointed in these companies that label themselves as natural, safe, non-toxic and when you break down the ingredients, they are just the opposite of being natural and safe. Under Luna is all about being truthful and honest about the ingredients we use, that’s what it’s all about for us.

Q: Why do you use the ingredients that you do & how did you find them?

A: When I started to formulate these products, I broke them down to their science - how shampoo works, what it’s used for exactly and how to create a shampoo that not only cleans but protects and enhances our natural hair. Getting down to the very basics, all of my ingredients had a role in each product. Each ingredient was chosen with purpose and through the discoveries of our ancestors I was able to pick and choose the ingredients that are necessary to fulfill their role whether it is a natural saponin to cleanse the hair, an oil to protect, an oil to prevent dandruff, an oil to stimulate growth - it’s all in there!

Found

Q: What changes would you like to see in the beauty industry?

A: Total transparency would be nice!

Q: What other brands do you love?

A: Gemstone Organic & Apoterra are my go to’s. All of their products are amazing!

Q: What’s your biggest dream for your brand?

A: Currently I am working on expanding the line. I started with hair products only because that was what I really wanted to focus on creating for myself and my family in the beginning, but skin care and body care is just as important. I’m always mixing, testing, researching oils and various concoctions so it’s just a matter of time before I stick an Under Luna label on those!